Finding Themselves
by Kylara Kitsune
Summary: Having the darkness swallow your world is distressing; it makes you feel as though part of your soul has been left behind. Can Leon and Cloud help each other find the broken pieces?


**AN: Prompt number 76 from my 100 challenge list - "Broken pieces". To my disappointment, I still don't own the characters.**

Cloud slammed the thick, dusty book closed and shoved it angrily across the desk. It slid, teetered on the edge, then thumped loudly to the floor. He coughed as the cloud of rising dust enveloped him.

"That's no way to treat these antiques, Strife."

"You think I care about the damn books, Leonhart? The place was abandoned until a month ago anyway."

"That's not the point." Leon picked up the book and slid it carefully back onto the shelf. "What were you looking for?"

"Stupid question, isn't it? The same thing we've all been looking for - a way back home."

Leon hesitated, not sure whether he should actually say the words he wanted to say. Cloud was more than likely to throw him out of a window in anger. As this room overlooked a very steep cliff, that really wasn't a cheering thought. "Four people, including you, from your world are here, right? You're not exactly alone."

"Trying for pity, are you, just because nobody else came here with you? Aerith's supposed to be dead! I saw Sephiroth's sword cut through her! How do you think that feels?"

"I didn't know you could feel."

As soon as the words were spoken, Leon knew he'd made a mistake. He'd seen, all too clearly, that Cloud struggled with his emotions, wanted to keep them hidden, much like Leon himself. That didn't mean they weren't there. Cloud glared, bright blue eyes, meeting Leon's grey ones directly. Slowly, deliberately, he pushed his cloak back, revealing the single, dark wing. He watched Leon's eyes flick quickly to the wing and back again, before looking away completely. The slight red flush showed that he remembered the outburst from Cloud soon after his arrival - the wing linked him to Sephiroth, and was a cause of great emotional turmoil.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

Cloud shrugged. "So, are you going to help look for a way back home? Or would you rather stay here?"

"I'm used to Hollow Bastion now. There's nothing to go back for, anyway. The darkness will have destroyed everything."

Cloud slumped back into his chair and rested his head in his hands. "I hadn't considered that."

There was silence for a while, as Cloud thought. "I guess the people I actually cared about are here. Maybe we're just meant to cope with it."

Leon rested a hand on the blond's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Cloud."

The blond shook his head. "Not your fault. It just feels like... something is missing."

"I know what you mean. Like a piece of you has been left behind." Leon's fingers brushed carelessly through Cloud's hair, causing Cloud's breath to catch in his throat. He leaned in to the touch, almost hoping that Leon wouldn't realise. Unfortunately for Cloud, he did notice, and repeated the action, slower and more deliberately.

"Leon?"

"Cloud?"

"You really don't want to do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I might..." Cloud stood up and turned to face the brunet, "...do this." His lips brushed against Leon's, ever so carefully. He didn't know what Leon's reaction would be, and didn't want to push him too far, not yet.

"If I keep playing with your hair, would you do that again?"

"Only if you want me to."

This time, it was Leon who closed the gap between them, using his grip on Cloud's blond spikes to pull them closer. "Does that answer your question?"

Cloud smirked. "I didn't ask one."

The third kiss was longer, more daring, as their tongues met, tentatively at first, them more passionately. Past loves were forgotten completely as hands tangled in hair and tugged impatiently at clothes.

"Doesn't this bother you?" Cloud gestured to the wing, which he was trying to keep away from Leon as much as possible.

"No. Should it?" Leon's hand ran along the top edge of the wing, making it tremble, and causing Cloud to cling to him tightly. Since Cloud was incapable of coherent speech, Leon assumed the wing was sensitive to touch, just like any other part of Cloud's body. Speaking of which... Cool hands slid underneath the blond's shirt, making him gasp.

"Sorry." Leon started to pull his hands away, but Cloud held them there, then reciprocated the action as their mouths met once more.

"I never said don't do it. Your hands were cold, that's all." Cloud's fingers deftly unbuckled Leon's three belts, carelessly discarding them on the ground.

The door creaking open caused them to freeze for a moment, then hastily scramble for their clothing before someone saw them. Just as Leon slipped his jacket back on, Kairi came round the end of the bookcase and found them. "Aerith was looking for the two of you. She's at Merlin's house." She grinned, mischievously, and the expression resembled Yuffie when she had a plan. "We've all been wondering when you two would get together like this."

"We haven't done anything of the sort, Kairi."

"Maybe you haven't yet, but you would have done if I hadn't walked in, and that's what counts."

Leon decided to be stern. "Kairi, you're too young to know anything about..."

"Two men having sex?" The grin simply grew wider. "Don't worry, Leon. we all think it's a great idea." Thankfully, she decided to leave, saying that she'd tell Aerith they were on their way.

"She's fifteen, and she's trying to tell us about..."

"What we should be doing. Yes. Must be Yuffie's influence."

"Would we, Cloud?"

"Would you have stopped it?" Leon looked away, his cheeks flushed, and shook his head. "I wouldn't either, Leon. It felt like I'd found the part of me that's missing, if you know what I mean."

"I do. Because that's what it felt like for me, too."

**AN: I've been trying to write a Cloud/Leon for a couple of weeks now, and eventually, this is what my overworked brain came up with. Read and review, people - tell me what I'm doing wrong (or what I'm doing right, if anything). Why have Kairi burst in on them? Because I thought it would make a change from Yuffie, and I can see her as the mischievous one.**


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